Berlin gas stations investigated for fuel price regulation violations

Several gas stations in Berlin have allegedly violated the ‘12-hour rule’ regarding fuel price increases during April and May. According to the Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Enterprises, the regulation mandates that fuel prices may only be increased once per day at 12:00 PM, though price decreases remain permitted at any time.

In April, 30 Berlin-based stations were reported for increasing prices significantly outside of the permitted window. In May, seven stations were identified for similar violations. The Federal Cartel Office reported a total of 193 stations across Germany that manage prices from Berlin and are suspected of violating the rule. In Berlin specifically, violations were recorded over 2,300 times in April and more than 4,300 times in May, though these figures represent total instances across various companies.

Authorities have issued hundreds of hearing letters to operators, and 79 administrative offense proceedings have been initiated so far. While the Market Transparency Unit for Fuels (MTS-K) monitors compliance, the responsibility for enforcement and penalties lies with state-level authorities.